Abstract:
Gender Discrimination exists when a person faces unfair disadvantages because of their
gender. Generally gender discrimination know as universal problem in every sectors.
Society undervalues work done by women, as shown by occupational segregation, in
which one gender is overrepresented in a particular field or workforce. The tea plantation
sector is generally identified as an industry with a huge amount of female workforce.
This paper investigates How female workers facing gender based discrimination while
in the working based on Maskeliya Estate which is located in Nuwaraeliya District. The
study was carried out through qualitative methodology using purposive sampling with
20 tea plantation women workers as the study population. Having achieve the object
of the study so limited the sample through data saturation. Also case study and direct
observation were used as primary data collection tools and internet sources, Research
papers, books were reviewed for secondary data collection. The data obtained were
subjected to thematic analysis and findings drawn. As a result Female workers in tea
plantations work 3 hours more per day than male workers with the same salary. Women
spend longer than eight hours at work, whereas males just put in five hours for the same
pay. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are forced to work in the workplace without
any equity. There are no provisions for menstrual personal hygiene in the workplace.
There is no space in the management hierarchy to raise their voice, participate or take
decisions regarding their basic right of employment and other wages issues. Most
notably, caste-based discrimination on going as a pocket issue among women tea estate
workers while already they treated as a secondary. Women are generally regarded as a
vulnerable social group, ofcourse estate women workers must be regarded as the most
vulnerable social group. Therefor proper workplace organization, labor laws, equal
justice, equality and equity should be implemented in place to combat discrimination
against tea plantation women workers on the basis of gender.
